Id genes play surprise role in cardiac development

Researchers from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP), the Cardiovascular Institute at Stanford University and other institutions were surprised to discover that the four genes in the Id family play a crucial role in heart development, telling undifferentiated stem cells to form heart tubes and eventually muscle. While Id genes have long been known for their activity in neurons and blood cells, this is the first time they've been linked to heart development. These findings give scientists a new tool to create large numbers of cardiac cells to regenerate damaged heart tissue. The study was published in the journal Genes & Development.

CardiologyCardiology is a specialty of internal medicine.
Cardiac electrophysiology : Study of the electrical properties and conduction diseases of the heart.
Echocardiography : The use of ultrasound to study the mechanical function/physics of the h...